Mizzou fans are ready for a friendly SEC football game | News

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In less than 24 hours the Vols will kick off at Neyland Stadium for what fans hope will be the first SEC victory of the season.

Fans from the other side are taking on Tennessee in a brand new SEC rivalry.

In September, Gator fans came to town.

In October, Bama fans showed up.

Now it's November, and Mizzou fans are here in Knoxville.

"It was about an 11 or 12 hour drive. 677 miles from home to here," Mizzou fan Ed Kays said.

His RV got just 7 mpg on the trip to Tennessee.

"You just bring a big old pile of cash and throw it out the window as you drive down the highway you know," Kays said.

It was worth it to come to Knoxville with family and friends for an SEC adventure.

"When the schedule came out we picked the Tennessee game right off the bat because I had heard Tennessee was always a great place to come and watch a ball game and that's even before we were in the SEC," he said.

Bill Cremins has lived in Knoxville since 1984 but he went to the University of Missouri. So did his father and two sons.

"I've been back for a few (football games) including Texas and Buffalo," he said.

He expects about 20 out of state Mizzou fans at his house and he expects a fantastic fan experience.

"You've got midwest nice coming in from Kansas City and St. Louis which I think is going to dovetail well with the southern hospitality we have here in Knoxville. And as a result we're going to have people who are pleasantly surprised that the Missouri fans are so very nice. And also surprised that we have a fan base her that's so very nice. They're really not that much different, he said.

He wins either way.

"I love my Vols just as much as my Tigers and I'm looking forward to the game tomorrow," Cremins said.

That's when one team will savor an SEC win.

"We have one and they have none but they might fix that tomorrow though," Kays said.

And if the Vols are victorious....

"We have basketball coming and we're pretty confident we're going to be pretty competitive in basketball," he said.